HC Deb 19 December 1968 vol 775 cc1571-2
Mr. Blenkinsop

On a point of order. Without implying any criticism of the authorities of the House who are responsible for the printing of the Order Paper, may I call your attention, Mr. Speaker, to a misprint in the Motion, which appears in my name and in the names of 86 other hon. Members, on the subject of the Commonwealth Prime Ministers' conference? In the last line but one there is printed the word "decline" which, of course, should be "declare".

As this is a major alteration of the meaning of the Motion, may I ask you to direct that, in view of the special circumstances, in its reprinting the Motion is reprinted with the full list of those sup porting it?

Mr. Speaker

I am grateful to the hon. Gentleman for raising this point of order so briefly and courteously. I will see that this request is met.

I have in my hand the holograph of the Motion—I might almost call it the palimpsest of the Motion. May I point out to hon. Members that it would help the Table and the printers, who work under great pressure, if manuscripts submitted to the Table were, if not in copper plate, at least fairly legible? If I had time to show hon. Members the manuscript in my hand, they would understand how it was possible to read "declare" as "decline".

I will see that the Motion is corrected and it will appear tomorrow with a full list of the signatories.